Concrete Walkways and Sidewalks in Robbins

A sidewalk takes a beating that most people never think about. Every winter the ground under it freezes and thaws, salt gets tracked across it and snow shovels scrape its edges. When the base is thin, one panel lifts a little higher than the next, and that half inch is what catches a toe. A walkway that slopes back toward the house sends meltwater straight at the foundation. We pour walks to avoid both problems. The foreman sets the line of the walk, checks the height where it meets the driveway, the porch and the public sidewalk and plans a gentle cross-slope so rain runs to the lawn. Out comes the old walk, down goes the dig to solid ground, and in goes crushed stone, packed tight. Walks are typically poured about four inches thick, and sections that cross a driveway apron or carry carts and mowers get extra thickness or reinforcement. Edges are tooled smooth, a broom finish gives good footing in wet weather, and control joints are spaced so cracks stay in the joints instead of wandering across a panel. For a public sidewalk section in front of the house, we check what the village expects for width and joints first. The finished walk lines up with everything around it and stays that way.